


They Picked Us

by teeandrainbows



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Captain Swan Movie Marathon Event, Co-Parenting, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, Inspired by Life As We Know It, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:54:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26402233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teeandrainbows/pseuds/teeandrainbows
Summary: When tragedy strikes, Emma finds herself raising her best friend's infant son with the help of the devil incarnate, one Mr Killian Jones.  Will they be able to put aside their differences long enough to make sure little Leo has a good life?
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 37
Collections: Captain Swan Movie Marathon





	They Picked Us

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Captain Swan Movie Marathon event on tumblr! Thank you so much to the creators of this event and the ever-so-supportive members of the discord server!
> 
> Disclaimer: This fic is inspired by the movie _Life As We Know It_ , which means that there are two major character deaths in this first chapter thanks to the very premise of the movie. These two deaths will continue to affect the rest of the characters throughout the fic, so please proceed with caution.

**June**

She could hear the steady ticking of the clock above the rushing in her ears. Emma blinked, staring across the desk at the social worker who was still smiling pleasantly back at her.

She would need a drink after this.

Hell, she would need a few drinks.

“Miss Swan, is everything alright?” the social worker, Hopper, was asking her. With a shake of her head, Emma realized she was clutching the arms of the chair she was sitting in so tightly, her knuckles were turning white.

“I’m fine,” she said, swallowing the hard lump in her throat. “Just processing.”

Hopper nodded and slid another piece of paper across the desk, continuing to explain what came next.

Emma tried to pay attention, she really did. After the past 24 hours, though, curse anyone who tried to blame her for failing.

\---

_ It had all started two days ago, at Leo’s first birthday party. After Mary Margaret begged her to make an appearance, Emma managed to get away from work long enough to spend some time with her best friend and godson. Not even the sight of Mary Margaret’s husband’s best friend, one Mr Killian Jones, had dampened her spirits. Little Leo babbled happily upon seeing her and Emma cooed over the baby for a socially acceptable length of time before retreating to the sidelines. _

_ At least, that had been her hope. Then, the devil waltzed right up to her dressed in a leather jacket. _

_ “Emma, fancy seeing you here,” Killian said, his lilting Irish accent cutting into her thoughts. _

_ “Hey,” she replied, curtly, hoping he would get the memo. After the fiasco at Mary Margaret and David’s wedding over a year ago, she had hoped she would never see the man again. Unfortunately, David and Killian were as close as Emma and Mary Margaret, and she now had to deal with him at every possible social event. _

_ A few attempts at conversation later, Killian mercifully left her alone and she had been able to enjoy the party. She even sang “Happy Birthday” with everyone else when the cake was brought out. _

_ “Granny’s outdone herself again,” Ruby commented, sliding up next to Emma. She nodded, smiling as Mary Margaret held Leo and posed with David next to the cake. After the baby was given a small spoonful of the dessert, everyone else was given a generous slice. Emma took the plate offered to her and smiled, nibbling away at the rich chocolate cake. _

_ “Thank you for coming,” Mary Margaret whispered, suddenly appearing on her left. _

_ “You know I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Emma replied, offering her best friend a comforting smile. _

_ \--- _

“So, I just need the two of you to sign here and here,” Hopper said, cutting into her thoughts once again. Emma blinked, staring at the paper, then sideways at the leather-clad man in the seat beside her.

“That’s it?” Killian asked, playing with the pen in his hand.

Hopper shrugged. “Well, pretty much, yes. We want this to be as painless as possible.”

Painless. Emma choked back a bitter bark of laughter.

\---

_ The night after the party, Emma was lying in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her apartment was small, but she didn’t mind. It was only her living there, after all. She didn’t need a whole lot. _

_ Her phone began to ring. With a groan, she rolled over, lifting it from the box that was her sad excuse for a nightstand. 3am. Who the hell was calling her at 3am? _

_ “Hello?” she said groggily, biting back a yawn. _

_ “Emma Swan?” _

_ “Speaking.” _

_ “This is Dr Whale calling from the Storybrooke Hospital. I’m sorry to be calling you so late, but we have you listed as the emergency contact for a Mrs Mary Margaret Nolan? Is this correct?” _

_ Wait. Hospital? Emergency contact? Emma sat up straight, suddenly much more awake. _

_ “Did something happen?” she asked, already swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. _

_ “I think it’s best if you come down to the hospital as soon as possible,” the doctor replied. _

_ Once she hung up, Emma threw on a pair of pants and a baggy sweater and practically flew down the old staircase of her building and out the door to her yellow bug. Her mind was running through all of the worst case scenarios despite herself, but by the time she reached the hospital, she had managed to convince herself that it was likely nothing. _

_ “Maybe it’s just a broken leg or something,” she murmured to herself as she made her way to the ER, ignoring the nagging thought that if she had been contacted, then something must have happened to David as well. _

_ “I’m looking for Mary Margaret Nolan,” she said to the nurse at the desk. “Dr Whale called me. Emma Swan.” A strange look passed over the nurse’s face and she gestured for Emma to have a seat. A few moments later, the doctor came out, stonefaced. _

_ “Mrs Swan?” he asked. Emma quickly corrected him. “I’m sorry, Miss Swan. Could you come with me, please?” He led her down the hall to an empty waiting area and had her sit down. “Mary Margaret Nolan came in about an hour ago with severe injuries from a car crash. Unfortunately we weren’t able to save her. I’m so terribly sorry.” _

_ His words faded into nothingness as Emma stared at him, trying to process. Mary Margaret was… she couldn’t bring herself to think it. “What about… where’s David?” she heard herself ask, as though it was coming from elsewhere in the room. _

_ “I believe the paramedics said Mr Nolan was in the car as well, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.” _

_ Emma felt sick. It couldn’t be true. She swallowed, wrapping her arms around her. Then, she drew in a sharp breath. “The baby. They have a baby. Was he in the car? Where is he?” _

_ Dr Whale frowned. “I haven’t been told anything about a baby,” he said after a long pause. Emma must have looked panicked, although she couldn’t control any of her emotions at the moment, because he quickly added, “I’ll try to find out for you. Is there anyone you can call? You shouldn’t be here alone.” _

_ Was there anyone else? Emma couldn’t think of anyone, at least not right away. Eventually, she managed to text Ruby through shaking fingers and her friend arrived as soon as she could. _

_ \--- _

“Now you, Miss Swan,” Hopper said, handing the paper to her. Emma stared down at Killian’s large, looping signature, then at the blank space beside it. Taking the pen, she signed her own name, small and free from ornamentation. She then handed the paper back to the social worker.

“And there we have it. I’m sure the two of you would like to see Leo now?” Hopper asked.

“Yeah,” Emma replied, keeping her gaze firmly fixed down at her lap, not looking sideways at Killian. She heard the man agree with her, and Hopper rose to his feet, leaving them alone in the room.

“So, this is happening,” Killian’s voice was closer, and she glanced up with a start to find him leaning towards her. “How are you holding up, hm?”

She didn’t answer.

\---

_ Eventually, the story came together. Mary Margaret and David had been out for a date night, and Leo had been home with the babysitter. It had been a drunk driver. Leo had been scooped up by Social Services, and after going home to get some much needed rest, Emma had been called back to a meeting with Hopper, the social worker assigned to Leo’s case. When she got to his office that afternoon, though, she was shocked to find Killian Jones of all people sitting outside. _

_ “What are you doing here?” she asked, folding her arms in front of her. _

_ “It’s nice to see you too, Swan,” Killian replied, raising red-rimmed eyes to meet hers. Too late, Emma remembered that he had lost his best friend, too. “Mr Hopper called me and said he had to talk to me about something. He didn’t mention you, though.” _

_ The door to the office opened and the social worker stepped out. _

_ “Mr Jones, Miss Swan. Please, come in.” _

_ With a curious glance at each other, Emma followed Killian into the room. They sat in the two chairs opposite Hopper’s desk while the social worker sat in his own chair and shuffled some papers in front of him. _

_ “I’ll cut right to the chase. Recently, Mr and Mrs Nolan adjusted their will, and in it they left instructions for what would happen to their son, Leo, should anything happen to them.” _

_ Emma nodded slowly, the events of the previous night still weighing heavily on her. Beside her, Killian drew in a sharp breath. _

_ Seemingly unaware of their discomfort, Hopper continued. “The reason I called the two of you here today is that the Nolans instructed that the two of you become Leo’s legal guardians, as his godparents.” _

_ “Wait, what?” Emma blurted out, leaning forward. She blinked, staring at Hopper. _

_ “Of course, it’s your decision. The alternative would be putting Leo into foster care,” the social worker continued. _

_ Emma felt like a weight was crushing her from above. Mary Margaret wanted her to look after Leo? With Killian’s help? This had to be a cruel prank. Right? She knew nothing about raising a child. Ten years ago, she had given up her own child for adoption after going through a teenage pregnancy, and after that she had promised never to put herself through that again. _

_ Beside her, she could sense Killian’s own discomfort, although she didn’t know enough about him to know what was going through his head. All she knew, though, was that there was no way in hell she would let Leo be put into the system. She knew all about the system. It sucked. _

_ “Can we talk about it?” she heard herself say. _

_ “Of course,” Hopper replied. “This is a very big decision. I can leave the two of you in here. The child has been in our care overnight, but we really would love to find him a place to stay.” _

_ With that, Hopper left the room, leaving a heavy cloud hanging over Emma and Killian. _

_ “What do we do?” she hissed, turning to him. _

_ Killian bit his lip. “What do you think we should do?” _

_ Of course he would turn it back on her. Emma frowned deeply, swallowing a lump in her throat. _

_ “I don’t want Leo to go into foster care,” she said, hating how small her voice was. This was all too soon. She still hadn’t processed everything. _

_ “Then we honour David and Mary Margaret’s wishes? Raise Leo? Together?” he asked. _

_ Fuck it. _

_ “Yeah,” Emma replied. _

_ When Hopper returned and they told him their decision, he had smiled and began explaining the process. _

_ \--- _

She heard Leo before she saw him. The baby was crying in Hopper’s arms as the man brought him into the room.

“There we go,” Hopper murmured, happily plopping Leo into Emma’s arms. “That’s everything from me. I suspect the lawyer will want to see the two of you to finalize details on the house, but it’s probably best if I leave you to get settled.” He turned to leave, then turned back. “And once again, I am so very sorry for your loss.”

Emma already hated that phrase, and from the look on Killian’s face, so did he. Regardless, almost in tandem they murmured small gratitude and with that, they were alone.

With a baby.

Emma stared at Leo in her arms. He had stopped crying and was looking up at her in that strange sense of awe she had often seen in babies.

“So…” she started.

What now?

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments make my day!
> 
> Note: I probably butchered social services in this fic. Call it creative freedom.


End file.
